TRAVEL AND TOURISM

In India, “Athithidevo Bhava” these are not only the two words but the complete gesture of hospitality in itself for the tourists of any place.

Tourism is a social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or business/professional purposes. These people are called visitors (which may be either tourists or excursionists; residents or non-residents) and tourism has to do with their activities, some of which imply expenditure. In simple words, travel and tourism are basically the opposite sides of the same coin, as travel gives us life long memories filled with adventure, on the other hand, tourism gives us the platform to fulfill our career goals in the field of Hospitality Industry.

Indian Tourism is classified into four main categories North Indian, East Indian, West Indian and South Indian Tourism. Different parts of the country offer different experiences ranging from scenic beauty to ancient cultural heritage. All these mesmerize foreign visitors and motivate them to explore more of India.

Travel and Tourism apart from generating revenue for the country also provide direct and indirect employment opportunity to millions of people. Similarly, for foreigners, India has become an attractive and affordable holiday destination. Development of key states such as Rajasthan and Kerala as most popular holiday destinations coupled with successful implementation of “Incredible India” campaign has provided further impetus to the sector.

Travel and Tourism Industry in India

India is the largest democracy in the world. It is gifted with rich cultural heritage, splendid geographical location and wide variety of flora and fauna which makes it one of the finest destinations in the world to explore. In recent years, travel and tourism has become one of the largest service industries in India. According to World Travel and Tourism Council, the contribution of Travel and Tourism in India will rise significantly to 2.5% of total GDP in 2025. The improved connectivity, better lodging facility and favorable government policy on visa reforms like Visa-on-arrival have helped the Indian Tourism to thrive and flourish.

India is now one of the fastest growing outbound tourism markets in the world, second only to China. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) estimates that India will account for 50 million outbound tourists by 2020. A growing, consumption-driven economy, a large and increasingly affluent middle class, and the ongoing liberalization of air transportation have contributed significantly to this growth in international outbound travel. Additional interest in niche tourism sectors such as medical, wellness and adventure tourism has also contributed to this growth. Increased smart phone and internet penetration have also contributed to an increased number of online bookings.

Thus, Tourism in India is economically important and is growing rapidly. Apart from economic growth, Travel and Tourism Industry in India is also beneficial for a lot of other aspects, such as:

· Employment generation: With the growth of hospitality/tourism business, additional employment is created in a country. Several employment opportunities are offered by tourism business. These employment opportunities are related to different segments that are related to hospitality and tourism business.

· Infrastructure development: Most of the emerging countries build new highways, airports, hotels, lodges, restaurants, guesthouses and trekking ways to improve their tourism sector. These new developments are very vital to attract a greater number of tourists.

· Cultural development:Apart from these, tourists are known for being a central way to exchange culture and values. Hospitality tourism business benefits the local individuals to learn more about the different lifestyles and religions.

· Revenue Generation:Tourism and hospitality business in any country helps in creating more income for the locals. Tourists pay altered taxes to the government which helps the country to develop. Tourists also support the local traders to receive extra revenue and profits by shopping.

Types of Tourism in India

Tourism is not just restricted to the context of travelling and vacation. Types of Tourism prevalent in India are:

1. Adventure Tourism

As a kind of tourism in India, adventure tourism has recently grown. This involves exploration of remote areas and exotic locales and engaging in various activities. For adventure tourism in India, tourists prefer to go for trekking to places such asLadakh, Sikkim, and Himalaya. Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are popular for the skiing facilities they offer. Whitewater rafting is also catching on in India and tourists flock to places such as Uttrakhand, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh for this adrenalin-packed activity.

2. Wildlife Tourism

India has a rich forest cover which has some beautiful and some exotic species of wildlife – some of which are even endangered and very rare. This has boosted wildlife tourism in India. The places where a foreign tourist can go for wildlife tourism in India are Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, and Corbett National Park.

3. Medical Tourism

Tourists from all over the world have been thronging to India to avail themselves of cost-effective but superior quality healthcare in terms of surgical procedures and general medical attention. There are several medical institutes in the country that cater to foreign patients and impart top-quality healthcare at a fraction of what it would have cost in developed nations such as USA and UK. The city of Chennai attracts around 45% of medical tourists from foreign countries.

4. Pilgrimage Tourism

India is famous for its temples and that is the reason that among the different kinds of tourism in India, pilgrimage tourism is increasing most rapidly. The various places for tourists to visit in India for pilgrimage are Vaishno Devi, Golden temple, Char Dham, and Mathura Vrindavan.

5. Eco Tourism

Among the types of tourism in India, ecotourism have grown recently. Ecotourism entails the sustainable preservation of a naturally endowed area or region. This is becoming more and more significant for the ecological development of all regions that have tourist value. For ecotourism in India, tourists can go to places such as Kaziranga National Park, Gir National Park, and Kanha National Park.

6. Cultural Tourism

India is known for its rich cultural heritage and an element of mysticism, which is why tourists come to India to experience it for themselves. The various fairs and festivals that tourists can visit in India are the Pushkar fair, Taj Mahotsav, and Suraj KundMela.

Focus of a Degree in Travel and Tourism

The minimum eligibility criterion for taking admission to a tourism course at the under-graduatelevel is the completion of Class XII. Diploma, certificate, undergraduate or postgraduate programs can be a part of this budding industry. On the other hand, if you’re looking for an admission to postgraduate programmes, you must be a graduate from a recognized institute and also appear for an entrance test and clear the group discussions and Personal Interviews. Distance Learning programs in Tourism and Travel management are also provided by many institutes along degree courses, certificate courses, PG Diploma and degree courses etc.

Common concepts taught in travel and tourism coursework are:

· World geography

· Communication and customer service skills

· Sales skills

· Organizational skills

· Marketing strategies

· Travel and transportation planning

Some of the subjects taught for a Travel and Tourism degree are:

· Principles of Travel and Tourism: The issues related to business and resource management, tourism’s effect on the world economy and the political impact of tourismare taught in this subject.

· Hospitality Management: This subjectfocuses on how to properly manage all aspects of travel, lodging, food services and event planning. Incorporating information technology into the hospitality industry is also discussed.

· International Tourism: International tourism sheds light about how global issues can impact the industry. Topics covered include politics, economics, sociology, environmental concerns and international tourism management.

· Financial Issues in Tourism: This subject focuses on the business and financial decisions those employed in the tourism industry must make. Topics of interest include business financing, construction, sales management and currency exchange.

· Tourism Planning: Students are made to design travel and tourism plans for potential customers, developing their skills in geography, finance and marketing along the way in this subject.

There are many options to venture into be a part of the tourism sector; public and private. The following are some of the profiles one can look into:

· Tourism Department: There are jobs as Reservation and counter staff, Sales and marketing staff, Tour Planners and Tour guides. There is also the requirement of Information assistants at the office of the Tourism departments who are selected through competitive examinations held by the Staff Selection Commission. The option of working as a Guide is also listed under the tourism department as the Ministry of Tourism recognizes three types of guides; regional, state and local.

· Airlines: One can opt between being the ground staff or in-flight staff. Apart from working as Airhostess/ Stewards, you can look into the option of Traffic Assistance, Reservation and Counter Staff, etc.

· Hotels: The Hotel Industry being a service industry, serves the basic requirement of food and accommodation. One can choose from Operations, Front office, Housekeeping, Food and Beverages, Accounting, Engineering/ Maintenance, Sales, Public relations and Security, etc. as one of the many departments to work with.

· Tour operators: They are the ones who help organize conducted tours to various tourist spots and manage the travel and stay of tourists.

· Travel Agents: Travel agents evaluate the requirements of tourists and businessmen and help them make the best possible travel arrangements from the many available. Many resorts, travel groups use travel agents to promote their tour packages to travelers.

· Transport: Apart from airlines, travelers require rail services, coach operators, car hire companies to go from one place to another- by air, road, railway, sea etc. All this is taken care by the ones handling transport.

Growth Opportunities in Travel and Tourism

India is expected to establish itself as the third largest travel and tourism economy by 2028 in terms of direct and total GDP, as per Economic Impact Report, 2018 by World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). Travel and Tourism industry has to be nurtured so that it attracts more FDI to help build the whole ecosystem surrounding this industry. Hence, the travel and tourism sector are to increase its economic contribution and provide employment opportunities to the aspiring young population of the country.

Institutes offering Degree in Travel and Tourism in India

INSTITUTES OFFERING UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE

· Delhi University

· IP University, New Delhi

· Garden City College (affiliated to Bangalore University), Bangalore

· Amity Institute of Travel and Tourism (Amity University), Noida

· National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Andhra Pradesh

· Academy of Business Management, Tourism and Research (affiliated to Bangalore University)